HitsuKarin Week 2014
by Rinusagitora
Summary: Collection of one shots for HitsuKarin Week on tumblr. Hosted by hikari0907 on tumblr.
1. Day 1: Ribbons & Lace

Hi, I'm Rin. This here is for HitsuKarin Week hosted by hikari0907 on tumblr. Enjoy!

/

Insistent knocking broke me from my self-induced trance. I dropped the paperwork I was doing on the coffee table and rushed to the door, nearly tripping over my feet. I took a deep breath and smoothed out my shihakusho before swinging the door open, revealing Karin clad in denim and a loose t-shirt with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She smiled when she saw me.  
"Hi Toushirou," Karin greeted pleasantly.  
"Good afternoon," I said formally, stepping aside and letting my friend in.  
"Hey, I hope you don't mind, but I was hoping I could get dressed here… and maybe shower. I was playing soccer before I came here and I smell like crap." Karin laughed nervously as she removed her tennis shoes.  
"Sure, I don't mind. I'll just get dressed in my room. You know where the bathroom is." I permitted as I padded over to my room.  
"Thanks Toush'!" Karin hollered as she dashed into my bathroom with her bag. I smiled to myself.  
I shrugged out of my Gotei 13 uniform. I stared at the tuxedo hanging from my door, and with a sigh I pulled it down. It was crisp, stiff, and horribly uncomfortable.  
"Humans wear odd clothing." I muttered as I pulled on a pair of black dress socks. I adjusted my cuffs before pulling a bow tie through the collar of the undershirt and tied it the way Ichigo instructed me to a few days prior. After a few attempts, I managed to get it right. I combed out my wild hair in a futile attempt to tame it. Finally, I looked myself over in the mirror. I didn't look half bad, I thought as I smoothed down the collar.  
"Hey Karin, are you almost finished?!" I hollered over the sound of pittering water as I knocked on the bathroom door.  
"Not really! You see, I'm shaving since the dress Yuzu picked out for me shows more than it covers! I'll be as fast as I can!" She shouted back.  
I pushed the image out of my mind. "Alright, I'll be waiting in the living room then!"  
I sat on the sofa, crossing my legs and arms. I tapped my foot impatiently as I listened to the shower running. We were going to be late if she didn't hurry up.  
Finally, the water stopped. It was silent for a few minutes until Karin shouted something very unladylike. I pushed off the couch and went to check on her.  
"Is everything alright in there?" I questioned as I knocked on the door.  
"No, it's not!" Karin flung the door open. Her hair was down and slightly damp, and her jaw was locked with her bottom lip jutting out.  
"Alright, what's wrong?" I sigh as I push into the warm room. Karin gestured to the array of makeup products laid out on the counter.  
"I've never worn makeup once in my life, so I have absolutely no idea how to put it on and I keep screwing it up one way or another!" She snarled and glared at the said products.  
"I'll do it then. Sit down on the toilet." I groaned exasperatedly.  
Karin looked blankly at me for a moment.  
"Toushirou... is there something you need to tell me?" I glared icily at her.  
"Matsumoto sometimes drags me to the human world on her shopping sprees. I've watched her use this junk more than enough." I explained, pushing her down on the seat. She held the short skirt of her purple dress against the back of her thighs as she sat, crossing her legs.  
Geez, Yuzu did get her a rather risqué dress, I noted as I looked Karin over.  
The base of the so-called dress was a deep violet satin, stopping about mid-thigh and showing off her impossibly long, tan legs. Covering the dress was black, intricately designed lace. The piece of cloth hugged her shockingly mature figure, if not enhancing it just the slightest. It was sleeveless, but two straps held the dress up on her lithe shoulders, and just above was a pleated purple ribbon woven and tied into bow to the side of her jugular. The ribbon was lined with black lace, a similar pattern as the one on her dress.  
I shook myself from my thoughts and looked down at Karin's makeup. I picked up the tube of dark red lipstick. Karin remained perfectly still as I applied the makeup, not so much as twitching.  
"Do you need help with this?" I ask, holding up the mascara once I finished. She nodded and I applied it as well, darkening her already dark eyelashes.  
"Alright, there you go. Do you need anything else?"  
"Yeah..." Karin said, biting her lip. She picked up the second ribbon on the counter, identical to the one on her neck. "Could you weave this in my hair? Yuzu said it would look nice."  
"It shouldn't be a problem. Go ahead and turn around."  
Karin shifted her body so her back was to me. I brushed out her hair before French braiding it around the back of her head with the ribbon. Once I finished, my friend looked at herself in the mirror, patting her hair and smiling.  
"Thanks Toushirou. It looks really nice." Karin hugged me. I returned the gesture.  
"You look great," I whispered. "But we should get going to your brother's wedding."

/

Thanks for reading, constructive criticism is always welcome!


	2. Day 2 & 3: Sunset and Sunrise, AU

Hello again. This is day two and three, Sunset and Sunrise & AU. Please enjoy.

/

It started when they were in the fifth grade.

His class got a new transfer student. Her name was Kurosaki Karin. She had chin-length, ebony hair and grey eyes that were always directed down at her shoes. She didn't speak when asked to introduce herself.

He didn't pay her any attention. Girls had cooties anyway, and she was probably just like the rest of his classmates; insensitive and brainless.

He didn't need anybody, and definitely not her.

XXX

He walked home alone everyday. He didn't mind per se, but it got boring sometimes without someone to talk to.

That's when he saw her, playing alone in the park. His new classmate was kicking around a soccer ball from one side of the field to the other. She was so involved in her activity that she didn't notice him, or was just ignoring him.

Either way was fine with him. He didn't care much about her either.

XXX

She never once spoke. Never raised her hand to ask or answer a question, never talked with anyone during lunch or before school. She didn't have any friends, just like him.

He noticed that she was incredibly intelligent and talented as well- always in the top five of their school athletically and academically, right up with him.

He began to wonder just who Kurosaki Karin was.

XXX

He'd see her everyday after school in the park, practicing with the ball. She was always alone, and either never noticed him or acknowledged him, he didn't know which it was.

He reminded himself that he didn't care.

XXX

It continued like that their entire fifth grade year. He'd see her, but she never saw him.

XXX

They were in the same class together in the sixth grade. He sat next to her.

At lunch, he introduced himself as Hitsugaya Toushirou and tried to make small talk with her. She didn't make a sound, only shook or nodded her head.

He understood, she simply didn't want to talk with him.

She didn't want to talk with anybody.

XXX

She still played soccer at the park. He'd watch her practice, but never disturbed her. She still didn't seem to notice him. She was also pretty good at the sport, he noticed. She was very agile, fast, and strong.

He could respect her.

XXX

It was the middle of spring break. His father asked him to go to the convenience store and pick up a few things. He didn't mind, but it started pouring rain when he was halfway home.

He spotted her in the park. She was still playing despite being completely drenched in water and caked with mud. She was going to catch a cold that way.

"Oi, Kurosaki! Go home! We've got a few days of break left, you can still practice tomorrow!" He shouted over the downpour. It seemed she didn't notice him, or was just ignoring him.

He jogged up to her and grabbed her shoulder. She whipped around, staring wide-eyed at him.

"You're going to catch a cold out here! Go home!" He repeated. She shook her head. "Why not?!"

She simply looked down at her shoes. He growled internally. "Then come to my house to wait out the storm!" He proposed. She silently agreed.

XXX

His father asked about her. He told him that she was a friend from class who got caught in the storm. His father asked her if she needed his son to walk her home, and she shook her head. He asked why she wasn't talking, and Toushirou informed him that she was mute. She stayed by the door so he stayed with her. She left with a small bow after the rain stopped.

He wondered why she was so anti-social.

XXX

After spring break she was a little more responsive. He'd talk with her before school and during lunch. She'd write short replies on paper and he'd read it, or she'd gesture her feelings if she didn't feel the need to write. He learned from one of their bizarre conversations that she had two siblings and lived close to his house. She didn't reveal their names or her address.

He was fine with that. They were only acquaintances and he had no business in her personal life anyway.

But he couldn't deny that he was a little curious.

XXX

Their seats were rearranged after summer break. He no longer sat next to her. It felt odd not having her next to him. He didn't know why, so he simply brushed it off as silly attachment. Even he was susceptible to human emotion from time to time. He still talked to her during lunch and before school however.

He hated that he missed her.

XXX

She still went to the park everyday. He'd watch her for a little while before going home.

XXX

They were in the same class again in their first year of junior high. He and all the other boys noticed that she had hit puberty and hit it hard. Her assets practically exploded. Other boys would try talking to her, and he saw that she was obviously uncomfortable with their flirting. She'd run away during their lunch hour and bolted from campus as soon as the final bell rang.

He didn't like those boys. He wondered why she didn't tell them to screw off.

XXX

It was a quarter into the trimester. He was watching her play soccer again after school. She was gifted at the sport, and he wondered why she didn't join the soccer club.

He then remembered that it was filled with the same boys that would harass her daily.

He decided to approach her.

"Kurosaki," he greeted with a nod. She bowed to him briefly. "Can I play with you?" He asked. She kicked him the ball. He set his bag aside and the two of them played together.

He hated sports, but he didn't mind playing with her.

XXX

He went looking for her at lunch the next day. He found her in the cleaning closet on the top floor. She shrunk back and stared wide-eyed at him when he found her, just like an injured wild animal.

He didn't try to make conversation. He just closed the door and sat next to her. The two of them ate in silence.

XXX

They ate lunch everyday together in the cleaning closet after that. He didn't mind, he wasn't one to care about what other people thought.

XXX

He started played soccer with her everyday at the park.

XXX

"Kurosaki," he said the day before autumn break. "Let's hang out over the break."

She stared blankly at him for a moment. She scribbled on a piece of paper and passed it.

Why? It read.

"We're friends, aren't we? Friends usually hang out with each other over breaks." He replied.

Her lips slowly pulled up into a tiny, brief smile and she nodded once. He smiled back at her.

He wondered why she wouldn't give him a real smile.

XXX

He invited her to dinner at his house. She declined at first, but after his insisting, she caved.

She was silent the entire time, only nodding or shaking her head at his father's prying. Despite the embarrassing and awkward moments, it was the best dinner he ever had.

XXX

School restarted. Seats were rearranged. He sat next to her again. It made him happy for reasons he didn't know.

XXX

Another guy was harassing her after school. His blood boiled when he saw it, so he told the guy to back off. He did, but only after Toushirou socked him.

He walked her home that day. She invited him inside and he accepted graciously. She introduced him to her fraternal twin, Yuzu. Yuzu went to an all-girl's school across town, and was the antithesis of Karin. She was sweet, silly, and sociable. Yuzu served them snacks and the three of them watched television together. Karin left for a moment. He guessed she needed to use the lavatory. He decided that it was the perfect time to ask her sister the question that had been bugging him for so long time.

"I don't mean to intrude on your guys' personal life, but why doesn't Karin ever speak? Is she really mute?" He asked her.

Yuzu sighed. She passed him a framed photo of a dark-haired, fit man with a goofy smile and a beautiful, dirty blonde Englishwoman laughing beside him.

"Those are our parents. They were killed in a train accident when Karin and me were in the fifth grade. It really traumatized her, to the point where she just stopped talking and pushed everyone away. That's why our brother moved us here. He was hoping a change of scenery would help. It hasn't a bit, if you couldn't tell. Karin's rarely home, Ichigo works three jobs to keep us afloat. None of us are getting the support we need. We're as bad as any other dysfunctional family." Yuzu explained. She smiled sadly at Toushirou. "I'm surprised she's even friends with you. It's pretty miraculous."

Karin returned then and the two could no longer talk.

He realized something when he had to go home. He had somehow fallen for Karin.

XXX

Their second and third years of junior high passed similarly. They had class together every year, ate lunch together in the cleaning closet, played soccer everyday at the park, spent every minute they could with each other. She grew to be much more open with him, though she never once spoke. She bought a notebook once and she responded to him using that.

His infatuation only grew in intensity over the period of two years. He longed to tell her, to hold her in his arms, to see her really smile and to hear her voice. But he was fearful of how she would react. She was still so skittish around the boys who flirted with her, but they had grown so close; he could tell her almost anything and vise versa, so he hadn't a clue of how she'd respond to his confession.

So he didn't say anything. He did let her know that he would always be her friend however. She hugged him when he told her. It made him happy.

XXX

It was their first day of freshman year, and they were again in the same class. Toushirou thanked every god he knew for the blessing they gave him.

"Karin, we're in the same class again." He told her with a wide smile. She nodded and gave him a brief smile. His heartbeat became erratic. She had become even more beautiful in the last few years- physically and, in his his eyes, internally. She still refused to speak, and they were each other's only friend, but despite that, he was happy. It didn't mean he didn't want her to branch out and make friends, he just loved being with her.

The two walked together to their class and sat next to each other in the back. He was content.

XXX

Their homeroom teacher called her out during their mathematics class. She looked uneasy, so he followed them out into the hall.

The news was shocking to say the least. Yuzu was always so careful- it was unbelievable to hear that she was ran over. And to add insult to injury, it was a hit-and-run. The police didn't know who did it.

Karin collapsed the moment she heard. He caught her in his arms, remaining perfectly calm despite his immense anger towards the unknown perpetrator. He had to stay strong for her.

He asked which hospital her sister was in. He thanked their teacher and carried her piggy-back style to the train station and comforted her from the time she awoke to when they arrived at the hospital.

XXX

Yuzu looked like hell, to say the least. She was hooked up to more beeping machines than he dare count, and she was wrapped in bandages from head to foot. Her eyes were closed, and she looked so pale and fragile, he was afraid to touch her. Their older brother Ichigo was sitting in a plastic chair beside the bed; legs stretched out, arms crossed, eyed focused on the ceiling. Dark bags hung under his eyes, and he was beginning to get wrinkles around his mouth and the corners of his eyes. He looked old, much too old to only be nineteen.

Karin ran over to her brother and threw her arms around him. He held her close against him and the two began to cry quietly. The two siblings embraced each other for the longest time. Toushirou merely stood back, watching them. Watching her.

XXX

She flatlined later that night. Karin made the first sound he ever heard from her in the five years he knew her- a shrill, heart-wrenching, resounding howl of sheer agony. He hated having to hear that from her and have no capability to help her.

XXX

"When's the funeral?" He asked Ichigo.

"We're not going to have a ceremony, we're just going to cremate her." The young man answered flatly. "You're more than welcome to join us when we go to the grave though. Karin would appreciate it, considering she can't rely on me for emotional support."

Toushirou looked at her sleeping figure from his place in the doorframe. She fell asleep after hours of crying once they returned to the Kurosaki residence.

"I'll be there," said Toushirou, not taking his eyes off of his beloved. Ichigo smiled sorrowfully.

"Thanks. I have work in the morning though, so I have to hit the sack. You're more than welcome to stay the night."

"Thank you. I'll do that." The teen replied.

XXX

They went to Yuzu's grave three days later, clad in black. He held onto her hand, and she vice-gripped his. Under any other circumstance, he would've been elated to be holding her hand. But that day was different. There was a melancholy cloud hanging over the three as they stared at the grave of their former friend and family member.

He looked at her through his peripheral vision. She wasn't crying, wasn't moving, only staring numbly at the grave. The Karin he knew was gone, she died with her sister.

And it tore his heart out to know that.

"I need to go to work," Ichigo muttered after hours of somber quiet. "Take care of her while I'm gone, Toushirou."

He left with that.

Toushirou pulled her into a hug. He stared straight ahead, stroking her inky hair. He couldn't cry. He had to be her rock, something she could lean on. He had to be the stability she was never provided with.

He thought of an idea. He took her hand and led her away from the cemetery.

XXX

He brought her to his favorite place: a grassy hill that overlooked town. They sat next to each other, her face buried in his neck, his arm draped around her shoulders. He stared at the sunset before them, wishing he could do more to help.

"I never told you about my mother, did I?" He started. The young woman beside him didn't respond. "My dad always says that I have her eyes. He says she was a wonderful person too; smart, beautiful, willful. He says I got those traits from her too. But… she suffered from a weak heart, you see. She died after a heart attack when she was only twenty-seven. I was four at the time. I think about her daily, and I miss her terribly. But I'm thankful towards her as well. Her death has made me a stronger, better person. Not only that, but I believe that if she was alive and I grew up as a normal child… I never would've bothered to get to know you. I would've lost that privilege to naivete." Again, she didn't respond.

"You know, I admire you Karin. You're a trooper. You know exactly what you want, you're talented, smart, humble, resilient, unafraid to get a little dirty to get things done… you're just all-around beautiful. I guess that's why I fell for you." He turned his head to glance at her. "That's why I know you're strong enough to make it past this. And I'll be there with you the entire time."

He received no acknowledgement from her.

"Let's get you home." He announced. He picked her up bridal-style and carried her to her apartment. He dropped her off at the door and hugged her briefly.

"Call me if you need me. I mean it. I'll be over in less than five minutes." He said, pivoting on his heel. He stepped forward, but his jacket caught on something. He looked behind him. Karin was sobbing freely, more than he had ever seen from her.

"Don't go, please don't leave me." She squeaked softly as she trembled.

He smiled tenderly and led her inside.

XXX

"I can't believe it's been a year." Karin confessed to the two men on either sides of her.

"I know. It's crazy, isn't it? I keep expecting her to walk through the door any day, apologizing for being gone for so long." Her brother agreed.

"You're not the only one." She chuckled.

"But we've come a long way since then, all of us." Toushirou smiled down at his girlfriend. She smiled back and squeezed his hand.

"Definitely," She directing her attention to the sunrise. She tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear and beamed. "We've definitely come a long way."

/

Thank you for reading. Constructive criticism is welcome.


	3. Day 4: Bases

Hello again. This is day four. We're halfway done!

/

"Hey Karin, can I ask you something?" Toushirou questioned as we watched television. I hummed affirmative as I sucked on a juice box. "What's third base?"

I accidently inhaled some juice. I coughed and pounded my fist on my chest as he rubbed my back comfortingly.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded despite my chest pain.

"Give me a heart-attack, why don't you?" I muttered once I recovered. He chuckled.

"Anyway, my question. What is third base?" He asked. I blushed furiously.

"Are you sure you want to know? It's kind of... embarrassing." I warned him with a scowl.

"I'm not an innocent child, Karin. I can take it." Toushirou glared at me. I relented with a sigh.

"Alright, I'll tell you." I turned my body to face him. "There are four bases referring to intimacy. The first base is tongue-kissing, second base is touching and groping, third base is oral sex, and fourth base is intercourse." I explained. We stared at each other.

"Alright," he said coolly and looked back at the television.

"I'm surprised that you aren't horrified. Last time I explained something like that, you looked like you were going to hurl." I commented. Toushirou merely hummed.

The two of us watched television together for a little while before Toushirou spoke again.

"Hey Karin, can I tell you something personal?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Sure. I don't see why not."

"I wanna do first base with you."

/

Again, thank you. Constructive criticism is still welcome!


	4. Day 5: Walk a Mile in Each Other's Shoes

Hello. Another trigger warning here; depression and self-injury. Enjoy.

/

I jogged up to the Kurosaki residence and rang the doorbell. I waited on the steps until the door swung open, revealing Ichigo was standing there; shirtless, hands taped, scowling, and coated with sweat.

"Oh, hey Toushirou," He panted, brushing his soaked bangs aside.

"Hi, is Karin here?" I asked. "We're on break now so I thought we could hang out for a few hours."

"Yeah, sure. She's up in her room." He nodded towards the stairs.

"Thanks man." I brushed past him and he shut the door.

"I'll be downstairs lifting weights with Renji if you need me. Tell me if two are going out."

"We'll probably just stay here, unless Karin somehow convinces me otherwise…" I grimaced. I had always been weak against her puppy eyes.

Ichigo nodded knowingly.

The two of us went our separate ways. I went upstairs to my friend's room and knocked on her door.

"H-hello?" Karin stammered. It suddenly felt like I had swallowed a bucket full of lead. Every part of my brain was screaming that something was wrong.

"Are you alright Karin?" I questioned apprehensively.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine!" She laughed unevenly.

"You don't sound it... I'm coming in!"

"Wait, no, don't!"

I pushed open her door. Karin was without her jacket- an odd sight to see. I hadn't seen her without something covering her arms in months. They were pressed to her chest, and her navy blanket was pulled up to just below her deltoids.

"Get out!" She shouted.

"Why?" I paused and furrowed my brows. "Are you not wearing pants again?"

She chucked a thick book at me. I turned my body and evaded the attack.

"Get out!" She repeated.

"Why?" I eyed Karin. "Show me your arms."

"Just get out for a second!"

"I'm not budging until you show me your arms." I crossed my arms stubbornly.

Karin bit her lip. Her eyes darted between me and her chest several times. Finally, she relented with a sigh.

"Fine, I'll show you on one condition: that I can trust that you won't tell anyone."

My worry skyrocketed when she said that. My heart hammered in my chest as I sat on her bed.

"O-of course. Anything you want to say to me, I'll keep between us." I swore.

Karin looked away as she revealed her arms. I gasped. They were littered with countless scars and cuts in varying degrees of healing. Four cuts still bled near her elbow, and the place in which she pressed her arms was stained with blood. It was chilling to see.

"Oh my God!" I cried out. I gingerly stroked her abused arms with the pads of my fingers. They flew back to her bosom as soon as I drew back my hand. I looked back up to her with wide eyes. "What've you been doing to yourself?!"

She tucked her bangs behind her ear and braced her arms to her chest again. "I've been… cutting myself... for about eight and a half months."

I wrenched her arms down and looked over them again. I stared into her steely eyes. "Why? What would possess you to… to mar yourself like this?!"

She swallowed. "It makes me feel better. It pushes away the hurt I'm feeling inside and just releases it."

"Why are you hurting?" I asked her, raking a hand through my hair. "Are you being bullied? A-abused? Did you have sex with somebody? Karin, you can tell me anything. I won't judge you!" I placed her hands over my heart and held them there.

"I just… I just don't feel worth it. I feel stupid, weak, useless- ugly even. I hate myself. I'm just…" She shrugged, staring at a spot on the wall. She wiped away a tear with her shoulder. I stared sorrowfully at my friend.

I gathered my friend into a hug. I tucked her flush against my torso, stroking her hair. Karin buried her nose in my neck and started crying softly. I entangled my hand in her black locks, kissing her scalp.

"You're going to be okay, I promise." I consoled her as she quietly wept. Her entire body trembled in her effort to keep quiet, like she wasn't worth the time to worry about. I felt so hopeless, so incapable.

So useless.

My breath caught in my throat. I felt like crying myself, suddenly aware of her agony. I gripped her as close to me as I possibly could, begging some god up above that probably wasn't listening to take away our pain. I eyed the razor on her bedstand, a macabre idea suddenly warping into creation in my head.

Without releasing her, I snatched the razor and cut three marks into my wrist. It hurt like a bitch, I realized as Karin cried out in shock. I developed some sort of twisted respect for her, having the ability to do this on a daily basis.

"What the hell are you thinking?! That's a dirty razor! Call me a moron for my addiction, but at least I clean them after every use!" Karin scolded me as she gripped my injured ligament with surprising strength. She dragged me down to the floor and pulled a first aid kit from under her bed. I watched her injuries leak blood onto her legs as she cleaned and bandaged mine. There were so many of them-a testimony to her tribulations.

I felt sick.

"Why three? Is it of some significance?" She questioned suddenly. "I'm not exactly against self-injury since I do it practically everyday, but you're so new. I could barely do one little one every twelve hours for the first three weeks."

I nodded and began treating her arms. God, there was blood all over her shirt and legs- it was scary.

"Yeah, it means something." I gently covered her open wounds with large bandaids. "The first one is an apology, for not noticing earlier like I should've." She opened her mouth, probably to disagree with me. I shushed her by placing a finger over her lips. "No excuses. As your best friend, I should've noticed something going on." I cupped her cheek. "The second one is so I know and remember the pain you're in day after day. The third one is my promise to you to stay by your side until you recover. I'm not going to leave you, not ever."

Karin hugged my neck again. I returned the gesture.

"I'll stick you to that." She answered.

/

Thank you for reading again. Constructive criticism is my favorite kind.


	5. Day 7: Time Machine

Hello again. Please forgive me. I was unable to finish days six and eight and my internet was malfunctioning yesterday. But here is day seven. Please enjoy.

/

Humming an off-tune song, I swung my hips in time with the imaginary beat as I scrubbed the dishes. My husband stood to my left, drying the them as I finished rinsing. Our wedding bands lay on the counter to my other side, mine laying crooked atop his. I smiled to myself and whipped my hair around.

"Karin… do you want me to put on some music or something?" Toushirou questioned. He had grown accustomed to my weird mood swings over the years.

"Ooh, some music would be nice!" I giggled. He flipped on the stereo and rock music filled our apartment. I laughed and danced wildly in place. Toushirou merely rolled his eyes, a faint smile dressing his lips.

"Alright, what has you so giddy?! You can't dangle it in front of me like a carrot on a stick!" Toushirou shouted over the music, putting a stack of plates in a cupboard. I boogied in place and grinned mischievously.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I teased, dramatically pointing a finger his direction. He rolled his gorgeous eyes and I laughed.

He suddenly switched off the radio and circled my waist. He kissed my cheek affectionately.

"Tell me?" My husband begged. I grinned wider, turning in his arms and hugging his neck.

"Are you positive you wanna know?" I purred, kissing him. He returned it eagerly.

"Please," He pleaded again before crushing our lips together. I played with the hair at the base of his skull, making him purr. He separated our mouths and nibbled on my neck. I giggled and squirmed- I was horribly ticklish.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you!" I giggled. His lips stopped assaulting me, but he refused to let me go.

I bit my cheek, suddenly nervous. How would he react? What if he didn't want this? I knew I did, but guys were so different from women!

"Now you're troubled. What's going on?" He cupped my face and forced me to look at him.

I relented with a sigh and braced myself.

"I'm pregnant." I blurted out. I clamped my eyes shut, waiting for the worst. Suddenly, his lips were on mine. I opened my eyes and found his gorgeous orbs staring adoringly into mine.

"Karin, my love, we have a bright future ahead of us."

/

Thank you for reading.


End file.
